Spending time on our public lands is one of the best parts of my life. So here are some scenes from those treasured places—a regularly updated thread celebrating adventures both big and small, and places both famous and obscure. #lovepubliclands

https://rscottjones.com/a-public-lands-gratitude-practice/

The Superstition Wilderness outside of Phoenix is probably the place most responsible for me falling in love with our public lands. I could see the rugged western face from my driveway growing up, and it was the place I first started hiking in high school. #lovepubliclands

Sunrise over the Lower Salt River just outside Phoenix—my primary outdoor refuge in 2020. #lovepubliclands

The Great One #lovepubliclands

A (board)walk in the woods...in Congaree National Park #lovepubliclands

Bighorn Canyon NRA.

I had foolishly avoided (and orphaned) this one early in my natl parks quest, back when I wasn't counting NRAs ("damned rivers"), so I had to drive back up to MT with a buddy on a cannonball run trip to mark it off when I started to get closer to finishing.

Wildflowers in Death Valley #lovepubliclands

This was a fun reunion trip with @Lucyan_us, who had moved away to CA. We met halfway in Death Valley during the 2016 superbloom.

Rainbow over Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (CA), one of the Southwestern parks we visit most regularly each year.

Sunset over Lake Pleasant Regional Park outside Phoenix. #lovepubliclands

Yesterday’s short hike in South Mountain Park. I’m so grateful to the early residents of Phoenix for purchasing this land to ensure someone like me would have an easily accessible refuge from urban life within the city limits. #lovepubliclands

Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado #lovepubliclands

Sequoia National Park, one of the places most responsible for my national parks quest. My first visit was in 1998 with @LopoTony (whose bday was yesterday), and it was the first big out-of-state road trip I took, setting things in motion for my quest the next yr #lovepubliclands

Lake Clark National Park, Alaska. Jen was still recovering from hip surgery when we made the 8-mile hike thru grizzly bear country into the national park, but she pulled it off and we were rewarded with some excellent scenery. #lovepubliclands

A classic shot from Saguaro National Park. #lovepubliclands

"Dinosaur eggs" in Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area #lovepubliclands

Valley of Fire State Park, NV. My 1st out-of-state-on-our-own road trip back in 3/97 was to the public lands around Las Vegas: Valley of Fire, Red Rock Canyon NCA, & Lake Mead NRA. I think we saw them on the AAA map and figured they'd be more fun than the Strip. #lovepubliclands

Rafters on the Missouri River in MT. I drove the "back way" along Old US Hwy 91 to be closer to the river after visiting Upper Missouri River Breaks N Mon, thereby completing my Treasured Places quest. I was incredibly envious of their day #lovepubliclands http://treasuredplaces.us 

Sunset over Arizona's "West Coast." This trip was a play-it-by-ear weekend with Jessica & Hannah, two of my fav backpacking friends. We left town with no plans or expectations and only a very vague destination in mind. And of course, we made a memorable adventure #lovepubliclands

Everglades National Park #lovepubliclands

Kenai Fjords National Park #lovepubliclands